Spiced pecans
The term “spiced pecan” can mean anything from sweet to savory, and sometimes combines both flavors. There are oodles of delightful recipes for either direction your taste buds prefer.
Although I have nothing against a sweet nut — they are perfect for topping desserts or satisfying a sweet tooth — sometimes a savory nut just hits the spot. This Tex-Mex Spiced Pecan recipe is a perfectly unpretentious savory spiced nut that packs a punch and keeps you coming back for more.
Tex-Mex Spiced Pecan Recipe
½ cup butter, cubed
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon chili powder
1 clove of garlic, minced
3 cups pecan halves
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
First, start with a large, heavy-bottom skillet. I prefer cast iron, but it just needs to be large enough to hold 3 cups of pecans. Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin, cayenne, chili powder, and garlic, then let cook for about a minute or until you can start to smell the spices.
Next, take the skillet off the heat and add the pecan halves, sugar, and salt to the butter mixture and toss until the pecans are coated. Then you want to scoop the pecans out of the skillet with a slotted spoon or spatula and place them on a sheet pan that is lined with parchment or aluminum.
Preheat your oven to 300°. Place your sheet pan of nuts in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, taking them out and stirring every 10 minutes. They are done once they are slightly browned and fragrant.
These are awesome warm straight from the oven, but they need to be cooled completely and stored in an airtight container if you want to save them. Don’t plan on them lasting long though. They are super yummy and will probably go quick!
